Biblical Interpretation

Hermeneutics is the term most commonly used to describe the science of biblical interpretation. It stems from the Greek hermeneuo which means "to translate, interpret, or explain." Although there is some disagreement or confusion concerning the best use of the term, reserving it for the final process of interpretation rather than one's most basic efforts may be the most accurate.

Fair identifies four primary kinds of interpretation which dominated biblical interpretations in the Christian era through the Middle Ages: "literal, allegorical, anagogic (ultimate spiritual meaning), and tropological (moral meaning)." While the allegorical method seemed to be most frequently employed by the early church fathers, it was slowly replaced by an appeal to tradition during the middle ages. As the Reformation took root, however, both

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way, served as a corrective for previous abuses, paving the way for understanding Scripture in another light. In order to effect the true unity of believers desired by Christ, the goal of biblical interpretation must be to "expose and reject principles, attitudes, and methodologies that impair that unity." Some of the presuppositions we bring to our study of Scripture are those of modern science: "empiricism, determinism, relativism, reductionism, and naturalism." Empiricism holds that only observable, sensed truths can be accepted. Determinism maintains that behavior is determined as the result of a prior cause, and in the extreme denies the free will of the individual. Relativism insists that there are no absolute truths or constant values, and such a supposition undermines and negates Biblical inspiration and authority. Reductionism is the belief that human behavior can be best understood when seen as individual, small units; a human is an organism which simply receives input from its surroundings, stores it as memory, and gives output by its responses to changing environments. Naturalism denies the existence of God, believing that man is alone in the universe, and human behavior is the result of natural forces.
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Approximate Pages = 14 (250 words per page)